Charges filed in inmate death

Christopher Montreal Phillips, an inmate at Neuse Correctional Institution, has been charged with one count of murder in connection with the death of Terry Houser, 58, of Mecklenburg County.

Houser died July 23 at Wayne Memorial Hospital after sustaining serious bodily injuries from a fight the allegedly occurred between him and Phillips. No weapons were used in the June 30 scuffle, said Maj. Al King of the Goldsboro Police Department, which is handling the case.

Phillips was arrested for the crime on July 18 and placed in the Wilson County Jail under a $250,000 secured bond. He was then transferred to the Wayne County Jail to await trial.

Houser was serving a sentence for driving while license revoked, and Phillips was serving a sentence for felony breaking and entering.

An internal investigation led to the charges, King said. He would not comment on a possible motive or release the details of the assault.

"One of my guys is currently doing interviews about the details of the crime," King said. "Since it's an ongoing investigation, those details aren't able to be released at this time."